Snap-a-hook



7 NOV. 24, 195 9 L jco 2,913,793

' SNAP-A-HOOK 'Filed Feb. 18, 1957 v INVENTOR E1155 eras JTallarico.

United States Patent SNAP-A-HOOK Eugene J. Tallarico, Kew Gardens, N.Application February 18, 1957, Serial No. 640,992 1 Claim. (Cl. 24-146)(Granted under Title 35, US. Code (1952), sec. 266) The inventiondescribed herein, if patented, may be manufactured and used by or forthe Government for governmental purposes, without the payment to me ofany royalty thereon.

This invention relates to lacing hooks or studs for shoes and has forits primary object to provide a hook which may be inserted andautomatically held in one of the eyelets of a shoe which was originallydesigned with two series of eyelets for lacing purposes.

Another object of the invention consists in the provision of detachablehooks which may be readily applied to or removed from the conventionaleyelets of a shoe without the use of tools.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from thefollowing description when taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings, in which Figure l is a perspective view of the upper portionof a shoe provided with lacing eyelets but showing some of the novelhooks of the present invention mounted therein.

Figure 2 is an hooks.

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary section view through one of theeyelets with a hook mounted therein.

Figures 4, 5 and 6 are views similar to Figure 3 but taken at rightangles thereto and showing the several positions of the hook as it isforced into place, Figure 6 being taken on line 66 of Figure 3.

Referring to the drawings in greater detail and by reference numeral,the numeral 1 indicates the upper portion of a conventional shoeprovided with two series of openings 2 reinforced by eyelets or grommets3 in the usual manner; the respective series being disposed on theopposite sides of the shoe upper adjacent the conventional tongue.

The novel lacing hooks are indicated generally by the enlargedperspective view of one of the numeral 5 and comprise a base portion 6,preferably circular in shape, a substantially cylindrical body portion 7centrally disposed with respect to the circular base and a hook portion8 which may be integrally connected to the upper end of the body 7 as bycasting or other conventional fabricating means, and comprising shank 8and cap portion 8".

As clearly indicated in the various figures the body portion 7 has itsgreatest diameter at its upper and lower ends as indicated by numerals 9and 10 and the intermediate portion 11 is of slightly less diameter asindicated by the arcuate line 12 connecting the points 9 and 2,913,793Patented Nov. 24, 1959 ice The cylindrical body portion 7 is providedwith a relatively wide slot 13 extending diagonally from the base 6 atone side of the center to the opposite side of the center line at thetop thereof to form a Web portion 13 and a tapered tongue 13". By reasonof this relatively wide slot, a substantial amount of metal is removedfrom the body portion and provides suflicient give or resiliency in theweb 13' and tapered tongue 13" to permit the entrance of the bodyportion into the eyelet 3. The intermediate portion of the body, i.e.,the web 13 and tongue 13" will be forced into engagement with the innerface of the eyelet 3 after the portion 9 has passed the eyelet, thuspreventing rattling of the hook, and the disk or base member 6 and theenlarged portion 9 of the body releasably hold the hook againstinadvertent removal.

It is to be understood of course, that the dimensions of vthe hookportion 8 are such that it may readily pass into and through the eyelet3 when the article is being installed, as clearly illustrated in Figures4 and 5. After the detachable hooks are in place the lacing operation isperformed in the conventional manner just as in the case of a shoehaving permanently attached lacing hooks. On the other hand, should itbe desired to reconvert the shoe back into its original form, the eyelettype, it is only necessary to apply a moderate pressure on the heads 8so as to force the zone 9 of the body portion past the eyelet 3 afterwhich the detachable hooks may be readily removed.

In accordance with the patent laws, I have described what I now considerto be the preferred form of the invention, but inasmuch as various minorchanges may be made in structural details without departing from thespirit of the invention it is intended that all such changes be includedwithin the scope of the appended claim.

I claim:

A quickly detachable snap-type lacing hook comprising a substantiallycylindrical body portion adapted to be positioned within theconventional eyelet of a shoe provided with lacing eyelets but having anexternal diameter slightly in excess of the internal diameter of theeyelet with which it is to be associated, a disk-like base on the lowerend of the body portion, said body portion provided with a diagonal slotextending from one side of the center line of the cylindrical body tothe opposite side of the center line at the top thereof to provide asecured to the upper end of the web portion.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS434,895 Thomson et al. Aug. 19, 1890 572,157 Conaway Dec. 1, 1896677,539 Donovan July 2, 1901 739,956 Walden Sept. 29, 1903 1,696,156Fenton Dec. 18, 1928

